Stellar (2)

Introduction

VBS is upon us! We are so excited for this year because we are combining our day camp, with our VBS so it is going to be bigger and better than ever!

As you can see we have a space theme this year, which I think is super fun, but I was also a bit confused when I was told that. I wasn’t quite making the connection of Space with Jesus, but actually it fits pretty well with the idea of “Shining Jesus’ Light!”

I am very excited about this theme because it will teach our kids, in all circumstances, to shine Jesus’ light, no matter what their circumstances.

However, I don’t the fact that this is a VBS theme, to make you think this is just for kids. On the contrary, I think this message can be just as powerful for adults.

This morning I want to take a look at a passage where Jesus makes a very bold claim, “I am the Light of the World.” What does that mean? How does this effect us?

Light of the World (Scriptural Context)

John 8:12–20 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

If you are a student of the Bible, than you might recognize I one of the very famous “I AM” statements found in John.

If you did know that, you know that Jesus says these statements at very purposeful times

This is no different. We learn in V20, that Jesus is speaking these words “In the treasury” or in the vicinity of.

This is important because Jesus has come to the temple during the “Feast of Booths” or “Tabernacles”

We are also by the treasury where people would have been giving Tithes and other donations.

This is also where the second part of the feast would be performed, which was called “The Illumination Of the Temple”

In the center of the treasury four great torches were set up. Some accounts say that the torches were as high as the highest walls of the temple and that at the top of these golden candelabra were great bowls holding sixty-five liters of oil. There was a ladder for each candelabrum, and in the evening young, healthy priests would carry the oil up to the top, where they would light the protruding wicks. The great flames that leapt out of these torches illumined the whole temple and much of Jerusalem.

It was meant to remind the Jewish people of the great pillar of fire that led them through the desert.

Numbers 9:15–23 ESV

On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses.

And it was with this backdrop, with which I can only imagine Jesus raises His voice and says, “ I am the light of the World”

No doubt, wanting everyone in the audience to make the connection between Him, and the pillar of fire in the desert. Between Him, and God. You now might be able to see why the Pharisees immediately challenge Him.

I try to be like Jesus in every way that I can and there is one thing that, to be like Jesus, I have not had to work on that hard because I believe both of us have a flare for the dramatic!

Jesus’ Claim for Himself

Okay, So Jesus makes this claim in an incredibly awesome, dramatic fashion, and is clearly making the connection between Himself, and the Pillar of Fire that guided the Israelites.

If we take this connection and run with it, we can see how powerful this statement truly is! He is comparing himself to the fire that guided, but also the cloud.

He is saying, “I was the One who protected you. I guided you through the wilderness. It was I who enveloped the tabernacle. It was I who came into the temple of Solomon and filled it with such glory that the priests could not serve. I am the Shekinah glory.” Such was the claim he made for himself.

In light of this, the connection to our own life can be easily made. Jesus is speaking to us, in the 21st century, I am the one that guides you, I am the one that protects you, my glory fills you, in the darkest hours of your life, I am the light. Keep your eyes on me and no matter how dark your life gets, I will show you the path.

Jesus’ Claim for His Followers

In V12 Jesus makes a second claim, not about Himself, but for His followers.

“Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”

First, I like the word “have” here, but not only is Jesus saying HE is the light of the world, but now He is saying that those that follow Him can take part in this light. In essence, when you follow me, part of me goes with you. The light that I have, also shines through you.

Have you ever known someone who seems to be constantly in a good mood? Like almost to the point where it can become an annoying, like “Do you ever have a bad day?” You call them “A ray of sunshine” Or you might say they “Light up a room?” The idea being that wherever they go, they brighten up the world around them. There is something in them that causes people to take notice, and be uplifted. That should be us as we live out our lives they way Jesus wants us too. Not just in a relentless positivity, but in service, love, and yes, joy.

This is a theme found throughout scripture.

Ephesians 5:8–9 ESV

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

In Matthew 5, we are told we are the light of the world, a city on a hill, all over Scripture those that follow the path of righteousness are described as light. Jesus gives us a gift and a calling, to be the light.

The Reaction

Now, with this backdrop, you might be able to more easily see why the Pharisee’s immediately wanted to challenge Jesus on this claim. As we’ve seen, Jesus is not being shy about who and what He is claiming to be, and He gets even more bold.

The Pharisee’s are going to take a weird tactic here by trying to challenge Jesus on legal grounds.

They are basically saying any statement, to be considered true, must be proven by two witnesses. In the most basic terms, they are correct.

Deuteronomy 19:15 (ESV)

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

Jesus then takes this moment to utterly demolish them, theologically speaking.

He first points out the obvious that the standard they are using, and the standard he uses, are completely different. They judge according to the flesh, but he is on a whole other level. What He says is true just by virtue of being said by Him.

BUT He then indulges them, and basically says okay, lets use your rules then. I bear witness about myself, and my father.

The Pharisee’s then break the first and most important rule of any debate. Never ask a question you don’t know the answer too. They ask “Where is your Father?”

Jesus makes another bold claim, if you really knew who I was, you would know who my Father is.

This is first, an absolute body slam on the Pharisee’s, but second, gives us a crystal clear picture of who Jesus said He was. He is saying if you know me, then you know God. He will later on in this same book say the only way to the father, the only way to really know Him, is to know me.

This is also a reminder, that for some people, they will grasp at anything to hold on to the belief that the gospel is not true. They do not want to be confronted with the fact that they might be wrong, so they hang their hat on a technicality they know doesn’t hold water.

Conclusion

So, what are the big takeaways? What does it matter?

Knowing that Jesus is the Light of the World, and critically, we are to take part in this lighting of the world, has implications for how we live our lives.

Being light is noticeable. In chapter 7 we find that Jesus came later to the temple “privately” and yet, as He spoke He couldn’t help but gain the attention of those around Him. And in fact if you go down to verse 30 in the chapter it states “many believed in Him”

Now what about us? Is our light shining so bright, that people take notice of us? That when people look at our lives they have a chance to see Jesus’ light and to believe in Him?

Being Light also does not take into account circumstances. Once again, Jesus had every reason to hide His light. In several passages it states the only reason He was not being arrested for what He was saying was because “His time had not yet come.”

Now hopefully none of us are in danger of being arrested for shining our light, but are we in danger of being made fun of? Are we in danger of losing social position?

What about circumstances internally? Are we making excuses for ourselves to not be a light because our life is so full of darkness, or we are going through a dark period in our lives?

I think one of the most telling phrases in this passage is that you are light, as long as you follow Him. How closely are you following Him? This will take humility and submission which is hard to achieve, but has incredible benefit.

Have you submitted yet? Have you chosen to start walking the path of light? Why not?